Bethlehem Lutheran Church

This coming Sunday our sermon series Crash Course takes up the theme, “When Hope Dries Up.” Cheery, isn’t it?  Yet life in this world regularly presents us with moments both big and small that challenge our ability to hope, to trust in a different reality than the one with which we are currently confronted. It’s in these moments of hopelessness that Jesus bursts in.  Like the story in Mark 5:21-43 that we’ll read this week, Jesus enters into situations where there is no hope, no life, no future and creates a new and differently reality.

Right now there is a group of folks from Bethlehem that is visiting India. Here they are visiting Park Town School, a place where it could be very easy for the people to succumb to hopelessness.  Yet, Jesus is at work there, creating hope and a future.  Check back later for more of what Jesus is doing to bring new life to our friends in India, and to each one of our travelers.

This coming Sunday our sermon series Crash Course takes up the theme, “When Hope Dries Up.” Cheery, isn’t it?  Yet life in this world regularly presents us with moments both big and small that challenge our ability to hope, to trust in a different reality than the one with which we are currently confronted. It’s in these moments of hopelessness that Jesus bursts in.  Like the story in Mark 5:21-43 that we’ll read this week, Jesus enters into situations where there is no hope, no life, no future and creates a new and differently reality.

Right now there is a group of folks from Bethlehem that is visiting India, and tomorrow they’ll be heading to the Park Town School, a place where it could be very easy for the people to succumb to hopelessness.  Yet, Jesus is at work there, creating hope and a future.  So this week I invite you to follow the story of our folks from Bethlehem in India, see what Jesus is doing to bring new life to our friends in India, and to each one of our travelers.

Pastor Kris asked the kids to raise their hands if they’d ever had waves sloshing into a boat they were riding in. Our two kids will never let dad forget filling the boat with family and friends, then chugging into the middle of the lake only to discover the plug was missing and water was gurgling in to cover their feet, ankles and nearly their shins. I seem to recall their questioning looks: “Don’t you care that we’re about to perish?!”

Imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples. You’d just spent months questioning, copying and following this rabbi. You’re almost used to anybody within reach getting miraculously healed. You’re proud to be
one of the 12 drafted into service up on the mountainside. You’re just catching onto this disciple routine when Jesus challenges “Do you still have no faith?” and talks to the sea.  He quiets the wind and
the waves with a word! There’s nothing familiar about this Jesus; now you’re just plain terrified!

Watch on iOS devices.

Here are the stories we'll be reading over the course of the next few weeks.  You can e-mail your questions about these texts to questions@bethlehem-church.org.  Each week will engage with one of these questions for our weekly videos, questions will be anonymous.  So read the stories, and send in your best question as soon as possible.

February 5 - Mark 5:21-43

Today children at Bethlehem heard the parable of the sower from the Mark's Gospel in at least three different ways. In Sunday School they read the story set to a rhyme and watched an animated video in which music and action conveyed the seeds’ fate. During the service, Pastor Beth cued the congregation to make different sound effects at the appearance of birds on the path (caw caw), rocks (ugh ugh), thorns (poky poky), and good soil (welcome).

I wondered which version they might later recall, like an unexpected voice?

Watch on iOS devices.

Here are the stories we'll be reading over the course of the next few weeks.  You can e-mail your questions about these texts to questions@bethlehem-church.org.  Each week will engage with one of these questions for our weekly videos, questions will be anonymous.  So read the stories, and send in your best question as soon as possible.

watch on iOS devices

Here are the stories we'll be reading over the course of the next few weeks.  You can e-mail your questions about these texts to questions@bethlehem-church.org.  Each week will engage with one of these questions for our weekly videos, questions will be anonymous.  So read the stories, and send in your best question as soon as possible.

January 22 - Mark 4:1-34

watch on iOS devices

Here are the stories we'll be reading over the course of the next few weeks.  You can e-mail your questions about these texts to questions@bethlehem-church.org.  Each week will engage with one of these questions for our weekly videos, questions will be anonymous.  So read the stories, and send in your best question as soon as possible.

January 15 - Mark 2:1-22

January 22 - Mark 4:1-34

watch on iOS devices

Here are the stories we'll be reading over the course of the next few weeks.  You can e-mail your questions about these texts to questions@bethlehem-church.org.  Each week will engage with one of these questions for our weekly videos, questions will be anonymous.  So read the stories, and send in your best question as soon as possible.

January 8th - Mark 1:1-20

Watch on iOS devices.